


A mother's touch

by moonlight_petal



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Fever Dreams, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mama Colton is a dear, Mama's famous pie, Nightmares, Papa Bear Jack, Protective Jack, Sick Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), Sickfic, Worried Bozer, somewhat hallucinating MacGyver
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 15:19:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17645297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlight_petal/pseuds/moonlight_petal
Summary: After a mission gone wrong, Mac has to fight the personal aftermath while his friend's have to take care of the mission related aftermath. But someone has to take care of Mac and keep him safe at the same time.Who could be better for the job than Mama Colton and her children.





	A mother's touch

**Author's Note:**

> This gave me such an headache, I had this really cute scene in my head and it was supposed to be a really quick 2000-3000 words one-shot and ended up being a 21 pages long mess I was pretty unhappy with at first. I almost trashed it all at various points while writing it but now that I finished it, edited it and shortened it some again, I'm at least satisfied enough with it, to actually post it. Even if I personally think that it's far from my best work.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story and I'd be happy to hear what you thought.

** A mother's touch **

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"Hey bro, didn't you get Matty's... message... Mac?" Bozer asked, entering MacGyver's room, cautiously stepping closer to the big lump on the bed he assumed was his friend. "Mac? Oh crap..."

 

"Guys? Hey, where are you? You ready to go yet? I don't think Matty will like it if we come any later..." Jack's voice came from the living room, waiting to pick them up on their way to the Phoenix.

 

Quickly Bozer left Mac's room, worry etched on his face.

"Yeah well, Matty will have to wait... whatever emergency that is, we have a problem right here, Mac's sick... like real sick, Jack!" he said gravely.

 

The slight smile left the older man's face instantly.

"What?!"

 

**

 

"How's he doing back there, Boze?" Jack asked as he drove as fast as he dared with a sick Mac in the back seat.

 

The distance from the airfield, where they had been able to land, and his destination was a bit longer than Jack was strictly comfortable with but Matty had been against involving a more obvious way of transport, giving their situation. And to be fair, Jack got where she was coming from. They were trying to get Mac out of harm's way, ideally without attracting attention to wherever they took him to. Taking the jet all of a sudden would raise questions already, involving a chopper on top would make anyone suspicious who looked closely. So by car they went all the way out to Mama's diner where the good woman was expecting them. Jack hadn't explained much to her on the phone, promising more details when they arrived. Of course she would help them, it was a no-brainer for Mama the minute she heard that Mac was seriously sick.

 

"As well as can be expected I suppose, although I really hope we're there soon, Jack. If he turns any more greenish-pale, I think we have a big car cleaning bill to take care of. And he really should be lying in a proper bed, this isn't helping at all." Bozer informed him, who was holding his best friend, dabbing his forehead with a 'not-so-cold-and-damp-anymore' cloth and making sure his blanket stayed tightly around the shivering body.

 

"Yeah, I got you, just a little bit further, around the next bent and we should be there..." Jack said, pushing down the gas just that bit further.

 

Dust and stones flew up when he stopped the car abruptly and before Jack was around the car to help Bozer with their friend, the whole Colton family had gathered on the porch.

 

"Dramatic entrance there, Dalton, I like that..." Jesse grinned and Jack fleetingly smirked back at her.

"Always... even more so when time is short." he called back, carefully pulling the bundle of Mac out of the car and into his arms. Mac would be so, so pissed at him for handling him like that in front of other people but Jack didn't care a bit at the moment.

 

Mac rarely got sick like this but Jack had experienced it twice before, once during their time in the Army and once while still working for the DXS. And every single time it was the same, when Mac got sick, he also got vulnerable, more emotional like a child or a lost puppy or something and Jack wanted nothing more than to bundle him up in a big and warm blanket burrito and put on some Disney movie. Sadly he knew that Mac wouldn't really appreciate it and even if he did, now they had no time for it.

 

Bozer left the car with the bag he had packed for his friend, following Jack to the house.

"Oh look at the poor boy... come on in, I already prepared the guest room for him, Billy be a dear and show Mr Dalton the way." Mama ordered her son, who quickly went ahead of Jack.

 

"Thank you so much, Mama. We really appreciate your help, it means a lot to know that Mac is in good hands and protected." Bozer said softly.

 

"No need to thank me, thanks to you we're still around and bounty hunting, keeping an eye on MacGyver is the least we can do. And we promise you, should someone be dumb enough to come here looking for trouble, well let's just say we'll show them the Colton way of handling things..." she grinned.

 

They heard faint whimpers and whines coming from the back and Bozer's heart clenched. It went against everything he wanted to do in that moment, but Bozer knew he would be a bigger help for Mac if they caught the terrorists. Jack emerged from the back, followed by Billy, looking exactly how Bozer felt.

 

"Well he's as settled as he's going to be. Not happy to be left behind though. I don't think he's really aware of his surroundings but somewhere in this big brain that's currently cooking too hot, he seems to know that he's not at home anymore. Sorry to dump this on you, Mama." Jack said, unhappily.

 

"It's alright, Jack, we'll deal with him, no problem. It's not the first time, I promise you that. Now tell me, how did he end up like this and why the need of protection?" Mama asked curiously. She had been promised details, so details she was going to get.

 

"Well, short version, our last mission, a couple of days ago, went south and he ended up getting poisoned but, idiot that he is sometimes, he didn't tell us immediately. His body is now working through the aftershocks of that apparently. It's not a normal flu he's dealing with but something a lot stronger, at least that's what the Doc at home said. And to top it off, a handful of the assholes who did that to him in the first place, got away and now they put a price on his head. Not sure how well that's going to stick but they're apparently friends with a lot of the bigger fish in the terrorist pond, so not taking any chances. And that's the story. Mac has some very weird reactions to medications at the best of times and with this not being anything 'normal', our Doc said, there isn't a lot we can do but wait and take care that his temperature doesn't go any higher and he stays hydrated, other than that not much will help unfortunately. He'll have to get over this by himself. Let's hope that it'll pass as quickly as it came."

 

The whole family had listened closely to Jack's story, faces grim at the mention of the poison.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of the scrawny one, you make sure to get your hands on those guys quickly and make them pay!" Frank said and clapped a hand on Jack's shoulder.

 

"Thanks, much appreciated. With that, we should be off to work. My phone's always on, if there is anything at all, let me know!" the older agent said and Bozer nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, if something happens, let us know!"

 

"We will and now go, get the job done! And here, take some pie, it'll help with the thinking, now that your brain stays with us!"

Both Phoenix agents chuckled at that, grateful for Mama's famous pie and left.

 

**

 

"Alright, you guys back to work. Jesse, I'd like for you to go and see if there's anything at all MacGyver could need, try to get him to drink some water, please. I have to finish up a couple of things in the kitchen, after that I'll take care of him myself, we're closing down for today. Starting tomorrow I leave the diner mostly in your hands. Frank, you go back to work, our books don't keep themselves and we won't take care of our friend for long, see what's on the market for us and Billy, go check our weapons, make sure everything is in perfect condition and loaded and then check on our security and perimeter alarms, you heard Dalton, we don't want to take any chances here. If someone is coming for us, I want to know about it!"

 

"Yes, Mama!" the three Colton children answered in unison, this was like a case, just of a very different kind and neither of them dared to cross the family matriarch.

 

When Mama Colton entered the guest room later, the first thing she noticed was the rather loud, and difficult sounding breathing that came from the bed. Jesse was leaning against the opposite wall, her eyes on MacGyver, thoughtful and concerned.

 

"How is he?" the head of family asked softly.

"As far as I can tell, not well, but not worse than when they brought him here." her daughter replied. "I got him to drink half a cup of water when I came in but since then he seems completely out of it, not really reacting when I tried to talk to him. I checked his temperature regularly, it's way too high if you ask me and I wanted to cool him down a bit with a cold compress, *that* he definitely didn't like, he turned away and whimpered like I was hurtin' him, Mama. I didn't dare to touch him since."

 

The older Colton listened carefully to her daughter, wasn't all that surprised. MacGyver was in a strange environment and not thinking straight if at all really, it probably would take a while for him to really relax even with the sickness.

 

"Alright, I'll try that again then or maybe... could you bring me some orange juice and send Frank to me, I'd like to try something." Jesse was confused, that much was obvious to her mother but Mama Colton certainly had a plan.

 

"You called for me?" a moment later Frank asked silently from the door, looking from the patient to his mother and putting the juice down on the bedside table that Jesse had given him.

"Yeah, Jesse wanted to help MacGyver cool down but he didn't let her. Could you give it a try?"

 

Frank raised an eyebrow skeptically, wondering why it would go differently for him but stepped further into the room, settling on the side of the bed and grabbing the bowl with the cloth inside.

 

"Sorry, MacGyver, I know that sucks but it's supposed to help you, alright? We need to get this fever down so you can go home again soon..." the oldest Colton brother rambled unprompted while pressing the cloth against the sweaty forehead of the blond man, feeling it warming up quickly against his hand, repeating the process several times and alternating between the forehead and his neck at times.

 

"Poor guy feels like he's cooking from the inside and yet he's shivering like he's lying at the South Pole in shorts." he commented silently, turning his gaze back to his mother.

 

"Yeah, whatever poison they shot him up with, it's now wreaking havoc with his system but I'm glad he doesn't fight you at least. I had a feeling he wouldn't, from what I gathered, this kid never really had a woman care for him properly, no wonder he would be cautious, even half-unconscious."

 

Frank looked at his mother in surprise then with some sadness at the blond man before him, then back at Mama.

"So that's why you called me in, I'm closest to Dalton's age which probably registers as 'safe' in some shape or form in his brain..." he murmured in understanding now, pressing the wet cloth against Mac's forehead yet again.

 

"Exactly... try to get some juice into him and then I think we should let him sleep, it's the best we can do for now, I'll stay with him, just in case, you look after the others, alright?"

 

"Of course, don't worry about a thing, I'll take care of everything out there... let's just hope that his lot get the job done soon." Frank said, carefully cradling Mac's head with one big hand while he coaxed some juice into the younger one.

 

"Oh, I don't doubt it, if this Director Webber puts her mind to something, she gets it done, she's a lot like me that way..." Mama grinned, thanking her son once again, when he finally put down the almost empty glass.

 

Settling in a chair next to the bed the older woman watched the blond man who had started to move his head restlessly, no doubt a subconscious result of realising that his 'protector' had left the room.

 

"Easy there, MacGyver... you know me, nobody will get to you as long as I'm around, don't you worry your head... you're safe, just a little sick... everything's going to be fine... your friends will sort this mess out in no time and you'll up and running and being brilliant again soon as well... you're way too clever to let a fever get the best of you, MacGyver..." she cooed softly, taking in the smallest change in expression on the feverish face. "And you know what? When you are up for it, there is an extra large piece of Mama's special Buttermilk pie with your name on it waiting for you... you know just a little incentive for you to get better quickly..." she grinned softly, taking note of how Mac slowly relaxed a bit more back into the pillow even if the shivering did not lessen any. It broke the older woman's heart but with the fever, she couldn't give him any more blankets to maybe ease that a bit more.

 

Carefully she tried her luck with the wet, cool cloth relieved that the younger man apparently had understood that she wasn't going to hurt him on some level and didn't fight her - for now at least. Either that or Mac was too exhausted to put up a fight.

"That's right, sweetie, settle down and let Mama take care of you, better you sleep some more and all this will be over soon."

 

**

 

The night that had followed MacGyver's arrival had been a decidedly bad one, not that the blond agent was very aware of that. He had been drifting between sleep and total unconsciousness all the time, kept under by his raging fever.

 

Exactly the fever that had spiked even more in the very early hours of the morning, sending the older woman and mother of three into a frenzy of activity, doing everything in her power -short of dumping Mac into an ice bath- to bring down his temperature. She didn't want to resort to that just yet because it was the last thing she knew to do before taking him to a hospital against all caution. Luckily, her quick thinking and experienced methods did the trick with some help of her son.

Billy had woken up from the commotion, scrambling to the guestroom, clad only in shorts and t-shirt but with two guns at the ready.

 

Satisfied that no enemy had managed to sneak past their alarms after all, he had quickly helped his mother, bringing her what she needed.

Some time later their efforts had been repaid by the somewhat dropping temperature of the young agent and him falling into yet another exhausted slumber.

 

Mama had gone to take a nap herself after that while Billy stayed with the blond, dozing next to him slightly.

After a while Jesse took his place again before she left the sleeping figure on his own for a while, the door ajar so she would hear him next door where she was working on some diner stuff. Mac had been sleeping relatively peacefully so she didn't expect it to be a problem.

 

In the late afternoon, soft groans was the first thing the young woman heard, quickly followed by whines that sounded like a wounded and scared animal or something. Quickly she ran into the guestroom, to find MacGyver moving around, fighting weakly against the blanket that was covering him, eyes open and glassy but strangely unseeing, face drenched in sweat and what looked like tears. In the same room then, Jesse was also able to make out the soft whimpers for help and for Jack and Bozer or anyone really as well.

 

Cautiously Jesse stepped closer to the bed, pulling the blanket away a little, trying to help the blond man with his struggle. She hadn't expected to startle him as badly as she apparently did by doing that. MacGyver froze before he took advantage of the new found freedom, scrambling away from the stranger, pressing himself into the furthest corner of the bed, holding a pillow in front of him in some kind of protection or whatever he thought it could be for him, maybe even a weapon. Jesse hadn't seen a lot of things the blond agent could do with random stuff but if someone could find a way to weaponize a pillow -suffocating your enemy aside- it would be MacGyver.

 

"Who are you? What do you want? And what did you do to Jack? Where is he?" Mac mumbled, barely coherent. Jesse guessed more than understood what the other had said.

"It's me, Jesse. Jack brought you here because you're sick, MacGyver..." she replied gently, holding her hands out so the blond was able to see them while she stepped closer again.

 

And before she realised what was happening however, MacGyver had jumped at her, pushing her and sending them both tumbling to the floor.

"I don't believe you, Jack wouldn't leave me behind. What did you do to him? Where is he?" Mac hissed back, not even registering the pain that must  course through him from the rough landing. Jesse felt it for sure, letting go of a startled shout, alerting her other family members.

"Jesse, why... what the..." Frank said from the doorway at the picture before him. Mac looked up at him in fear, noting the fact that it was now two against one and his chances on his own were growing very small.

 

"Jack! Jack?!" he called out for help once again, leaving the young woman and fleeing to the other side of the room again, when even more people came into the room. "Don't come any closer... what do you want from me?! Please let me go, I have to find Jack..." Mac had collapsed back on the floor, breathing heavily and crying again.

 

"What's happening? I thought he was getting better last night?" Billy whispered to the rest of his family, a little freaked out by the scene before him.

 

"It's the fever, I think... he's not himself, not thinking straight... I doubt that he's even fully awake, to be quite honest... I think he's stuck between a nightmare and a memory..." Mama replied softly, observing the blond agent worriedly. "You three better leave, too many people in the room, we're scaring him..." she ordered.

 

"What about you, Mama, we don't know what he's capable of in his condition..." Frank said reluctantly, making the older woman chuckle softly.

"You think this weak little kitten will get the drop on me? No, I hardly think there's anything to fear, I just need to calm him down again or rather let someone he trusts do that."

"You're going to call Dalton?" Frank asked.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do." Mama replied, already taking out her phone while her children left the room. MacGyver's gaze was resting on the remaining person suspiciously, trying to become one with the wall, it seemed, in his effort to get away.

 

"Am I interrupting something important?" was the first thing she said upon Jack accepting the call. He answered in the negative but obviously was immediately in protective mode and asking about Mac's condition. "Well, not good, we had a bit of a rough night and right now we've passed rough entirely. He just tried to attack Jesse, I'm not entirely sure what's happening in his head but I don't think he's really recognising any of us at the moment, he's obviously scared and asking for you... he won't let me near him until he sees you, talks to you, I think..."

 

Mama listened for a moment to the colourful cursing on the other side of the call before she adressed the sick man on the other side of the room.

"MacGyver..." she said softly. "Here's someone who wants to talk to you, alright? I'm not here to hurt you..." she continued, as she stepped slowly closer, before the call was turned into a video call and she turned the phone in his direction. The reaction was immeadiate, Mac hiccuped in relief, trying to get back on his feet and closer to the small screen.

 

"Jack!" he breathed heavily.

"Hey there, buddy! What's this I hear about you attacking our friend Jesse? That's not the courteous Mac I know..." Jack tried to keep his words and tone light and even without seeing it for herself, Mama knew the older man was smiling reassuringly at his friend.

 

"She... uh... she was trying to hurt me... I think..." Mac's face scrunched up in exhaustion as he tried to remember what exactly had happened only minutes before. "She didn't want to tell me where you are... what happened... she said you brought me here but that's bullshit because you would never leave me behind with the enemy, never..." he tried to explain with such conviction in his voice, even if his words were slurred, that it broke Jack's heart a little bit.

 

"Oh kiddo, but she's right, I brought you there because we needed you to be safe and cared for, you understand? You're not well right now buddy and Jesse and the others are *not* the enemy. You are right, I would never leave you behind with the enemy, but the Coltons are our friends, Mac! You know this... you know *them*! You remember Mama's pie, right?" Jack's voice said, patiently.

 

The blond agent blinked a couple of times sluggishly, trying to process the information presented but then his face brightened.

"Buttermilk pie... the best pie ever..." he grinned dopily.

 

"That's right, honey, the best Buttermilk pie there is..." Mama smiled softly, drawing Mac's attention back to her and it seemed like he took a moment but finally recognition seemed to set in. Almost as if finally what he was actually seeing found its way to his brain, passed the nightmare images that his mind had conjured up, painting Jesse and the others as enemies.

"Mama?" he whispered shakily.

 

"That's right, Mac, that's Mama Colton and her kids and they are taking care of you because you're sick, buddy, you understand?" Jack said once again.

 

"Oh... so... not enemies..." he mumbled and something like embarrassment found it's way into his voice.

 

"Not enemies indeed, kid. Friends, you can trust them and if you need me, I'm only a phone call away, alright? Bozer and the others too, yeah?"

 

It was slow going but Mac seemed to at least come back to reality enough to understand what his partner was saying.

 

"That's right, MacGyver. We're just worried about you, yeah? Let's get you back to bed now, yeah? You're shivering, poor darling." Mama said and held a hand out to the blond, waiting patiently for him to take it and helped him back in bed. They probably should have changed his clothes and the bed sheets as well but the woman deemed it more important to get him under the blankets quickly than get him cleaned up again.

 

"There you go, that's better, isn't it? Now why don't you go back to sleep and soon I'm with you again, okay buddy?" Jack asked softly, seeing how Mac's blinking got slower and slower the moment his head was back on the pillow and the blanket warming him up again.

 

"Soon, please, Jack..." Mac whined softly.

"Very soon, I promise! Sleep tight!" Jack ended, pretty sure his friend was asleep again even before he had finished speaking.

 

"Poor boy, this fever really is messing with his head..." Mama murmured, turning the screen back to her. "So how is it going on your end?"

 

"You can say that, I haven't seen this often but when it happens, it's bad... the curse of having such an active and creative mind combined with too many memories of the job and the war I guess... thank you again for doing this. But it's going as well as can be expected. We're missing Mac for sure but we do have a pretty good lead now and if everything goes to plan, we should have those would-be terrorists in custody tomorrow at the latest..."

 

The older woman nodded thoughtfully, gently drying Mac's face at the same time.

"That's good to hear, make sure that everything *does* go according to plan, can't have any of you hurt on the job while he's like this, I have a feeling he wouldn't handle that all too well."

 

"You can bet on that, kid would blame himself for everything, disregarding completely that he couldn't help it, it's not like he chose this... so yeah, we'll be careful and I'll bring everyone home in one piece. We'll be over as soon as possible."

 

"We'll be waiting, Jack! Good luck!"

 

**

 

"No change?" Frank asked from the doorway, voice low and careful. After the incident before his mother had decided that she would stay with their guest at all times, hoping that he would remember better where he was and who she was when he was only confronted with one person. It made sense to him even if he didn't like it much, his mother needed rest just like anyone else. He wasn't crazy enough to voice that thought out loud however. Instead he brought her fresh cups of coffee and food.

 

"Not really, no. He's been asleep most of the time now since his talk with Dalton, that seems to have settled and calmed him enough, his fever hasn't changed much however. I know their doc said it's not like a regular illness but I hope his fever breaks soon, I doubt it's good for his brain otherwise." Mama said, taking the mug and the plate gratefully.

 

"It will, I'm sure. If anyone gets him on his feet again, it's you, Mama!" Frank grinned.

 

"Such a charmer, I don't know where you got that from..." the woman winked.

 

"I learned from the best of course. Anyway, I found a lead on a new bounty for us, I'd like to check that out tomorrow if that's alright with you?" Frank changed the topic, turning serious again.

 

"Of course, our work has to go on after all, can't sleep on a job just because we're helping a friend out. You check that out, Jesse can take care of the diner and Billy will help her and keep an eye on security, no problem at all." the older nodded.

 

"Good, I'll tell them that, call if you need anything, yeah?" The head of family nodded again, smiling at her son. She understood very well what he wasn't saying and she appreciated that a lot anyway.

 

A soft gasp from the bed interrupted their conversation. Frank took his leave, giving his mother the space she needed to take care of MacGyver. She focused on the blond agent in the bed before her who had shifted away from her, gripping the pillow tightly in his hands and his face scrunching up with another gasp, closely followed by a low whine.

 

"Oh darling, what's going on in your mind now..." the woman murmured under her breath, debating on waking the blond up and waiting him out.

After a quick check of the time (almost midnight) and a gentle touch to Mac's forehead (still way too hot for comfort) she decided to wait a little longer with a heavy heart. She didn't want to risk disturbing the blond at a bad time and having him stuck in another dream reality again. There was always the chance that he would calm down on his own again, after all. Her children used to have quite vivid fever dreams but only rarely had she needed to actually wake them up. She hoped this would go the same way.

 

A little while later, it became clear that it wouldn't be so easy with MacGyver. (Of course not, it's MacGyver, she thought to herself with a sigh.) Soft gasps and whines had turned into full-body shudders, whimpering and tossing and turning, with the random broken sentence caught in between. "No... no no no... Jack don't go there... Boze? What's that... no don't touch that..." were the few things Mama understood and idly she wondered if MacGyver was so in tune with his team and chosen family that he instinctively knew that they were currently running an op without him. Shaking her head at that rather ridiculous thought, she was caught by surprise, when Mac suddenly screamed, rolling himself into a ball, arms up and around his head as if he was shielding himself from something. A couple of moments later he started the tossing and turning again, gasping for breath and tears rolling down his cheeks once again. "Bozer? Buddy, no... Jack! Please no... Riley! Not you too... what have I done... please god no..." he cried sorrowfully and it broke Mama Colton's heart.

 

Carefully she sat on the edge of the bed, cautiously carding her fingers through the sweaty locks of the blond, whispering softly, hoping that her calming tone and words would get through to him.

"Shh... sweetie, it's just a dream... just a bad dream... you're fine... they are fine... just a nightmare, darling, come on, wake up MacGyver... your friends are fine and they will be here soon, you just have to get better now... shh..." she murmured again and again.

 

The tossing and turning was the first to go, followed by the frequent shuddering and then the steel grip Mac had on his pillow again. What he was left with were the tears, deep heart-wrenching sobs.

 

Mama, sure that Mac had calmed down enough to not try and attack her when he woke up, gently pulled the younger man in her arms, softly rocking them back and forth, continuing her soft stream of soothing words.

"It's alright, let it all out, sweetheart, it's okay... it's gonna be all good, you'll see... they are fine, you'll be fine, everything's alright... just a bad dream... I'm here... shh..."

 

"... Mum?"

 

Mac's broken and raspy voice startled her out of her movement, the confused and hopeful tone broke her heart at the same time.

"Are you awake, Mac?" she asked softly, letting the blond go when he pulled back a little, blinking in desorientation.

"Where... Mama?"

 

"Yes? I'm here, you're safe here, MacGyver..." she told him, watching patiently how he tried to get his bearings back, slowly working through the information presented to him.

 

"Why am I here? Where are the others? What happened?" he asked, voice rough.

 

The older woman handed him a glass of water which was empty in the blink of an eye. She had taken the moment to take stock of MacGyver's appearance, sweaty, still flushed, obviously weak and tired but his eyes were far less glassy than they had been the last time he had been awake and a lot more alert as well.

"You've been sick, very sick, apparently you've been poisened on you last mission. Do you remember that?" she started and Mac took a second but nodded then slowly.

"Yeah, terrorists of some kind... they managed to separate us..."

 

"That's right, they weren't all too happy with you for stopping their plans apparently, they wanted to have you killed. Jack and Bozer brought you here to keep you safe while they sorted out the remaining terrorists..." she explained gently, giving Mac time to work through the information after every sentence.

 

"Huh... I don't remember coming here at all..." he sighed softly, rubbing his face with trembling hands.

 

"I didn't think you would, you were pretty out of it, running a dangerously high fever the whole time." the woman said, filling the glass again and holding it out to the younger, making space for him again to lie back down for now, which he gratefully did.

 

"Wait, how long have I been here?" Mac frowned.

 

"More or less two days."

 

"Huh..." he murmured. "But... Jack, I'm sure that I talked to Jack not too long ago, has it really been days already..." he added, confusion and disconcertment in his voice to have lost two whole days.

 

Mama chuckled gently.

"You're not wrong actually, it wasn't too long ago. You probably don't remember what happened, but you woke up earlier today, more or less at least. You weren't thinking straight exactly and we called Jack to talk to you and calm you down again."

 

"Ah, makes sense... sorry, I hope I wasn't too much trouble... Jack mentioned that I'm not always fun to be around when I'm sick..." Mac apologized immediately.

 

"Don't you worry about it, no trouble at all, you can't be held responsible for having fever dreams, it's not like you have a say on the matter, no harm done! Jack also mentioned that, should everything go to plan, they will be back for you tomorrow at some point."

 

To her surprise, MacGyver chuckled at her words.

"Should everything go to plan? When did ever anything go to plan for us..." he laughed softly which turned into a yawn.

 

"Well, let's hope this time will be different. Now, I know you're exhausted and you have good reason to be but do you think you're up for a quick bathroom and shower break before you go back to sleep? I think it would do you good and help with getting better, maybe some toast? You haven't eaten in a while after all." she suggested. She wouldn't be surprised if MacGyver declined her offer but he surprised her with a determined nod.

 

"That sounds actually like a good idea, thank you." he said, slowly sitting up and swaying a little before he found the strength to get to his feet.

 

Mama helped him to the bathroom close by and brought him the bag Bozer had packed for him.

 

While the blond agent sat in the tub and washed away all the sweat and stickiness a high fever and sickness left behind, she changed the sheets and aired the room properly and made him some simple dry toast and brought another glass of orange juice.

 

On shaky legs and his hands firmly on the walls left and right, Mac made his way back to the guestroom some time later, gratefully sinking back into the mattress. He was barely able to keep his eyes open while he snacked on the toast and sipped the juice. Gently, Mama took the plate and glass from him and guided him down on the pillow.

"Sleep, MacGyver, that will help you the best!" she said, pushing his hair out of his face and checking his forehead at the same time. Still warm but by far better than it had been before and she sighed in relief when the blond drifted off to sleep without trouble and with a silent 'thank you' on his lips.

 

**

 

After that turn for the better, Mama had gone to bed herself, satisfied that the worst was over and their guest would sleep mostly undisturbed now hopefully.

She was quite surprised when she came into the kitchen early the next morning, to find Billy and Jesse with cups of coffee in their hands watching in fascination as MacGyver had taken over her kitchen, tinkering with her coffee machine.

 

"What's going on in here? MacGyver, you should be resting, you might be better but you shouldn't be wandering around, much less work." she said, arms crossed in front of her, looking disapprovingly at her own children.

 

"Aw, Mama, a little work never hurts..." Mac grinned. There were still exhausted lines around his eyes, mostly pale with a hint of a remaining feverish flush high in his cheeks and he seemed still shaken from the whole ordeal but over all the blond looked a lot healthier than Mama expected. "I was awake already anyway and then I heard Billy curse like a sailor out here, I *had* to investigate, sorry..."

 

The named slipped a little further down in his chair, looking sheepishly at his mother.

"Sorry Mama, I haven't expected him to do that but you know our coffee machine, it made this weird noise again and wouldn't stop grinding after I made my cup... and MacGyver offered, what was I to do, drag him back to bed and tie him up there?"

 

Jesse snorted at this idea.

"You sure could have tried but I have a habit of escaping, no offence..." Mac smirked and Mama laughed.

"No of course not, Billy... well as long as you go back to resting afterwards I won't say anything, preferably after some proper breakfast, you must be hungry I assume?" she turned from her son to MacGyver.

 

"A little if I'm being honest... and I promise, I'll be a model patient again later..." Mac smiles innocently.

 

"Oh I'm sure you will be if you want to eat my famous Buttermilk pie, MacGyver!" the older woman smirked back with a challengingly raised eyebrow. Highly amused she watched the blond man gulp and go back to work.

 

**

 

A couple of hours later, after a good breakfast, true to his word Mac was lying in bed again, sleeping peacefully. It hadn't even been a battle in the first place since he was thoroughly exhausted from being up for the first time in days.

 

That's how he completely missed out on Jack messaging Mama that they were on-route to them *and* their arrival at the diner.

 

"How's the patient?" Jack asked first thing after greetings.

The oldest Colton chuckled softly.

"Given that he got himself a proper breakfast this morning *and* fixed our coffee machine, I'd say better. Sleeping again though. Being on his feet was rather tiring still but the worst is over I believe, his fever broke and what's left now he should be able to sleep off over the next few days. He just needs rest."

 

The three Phoenix agents had started laughing hearing this, it was so typical Mac, not really able to be up and running yet but still tinkering with other people's appliances.

"That's good to hear, then we'll let him sleep as long he does it voluntarily..." Bozer smiled. "Thank you again for looking after him."

 

"No need to thank me, I told you, Bozer. This was no trouble at all. And don't you worry, as long as he is here, he will rest. He promised to be a model patient." she nodded.

 

"Mind you, after Mama threatend to withhold her pie, I doubt he would be so willing otherwise." Jesse giggled from behind the counter, where she was preparing coffee for them all.

 

"Oh that's almost cruel and unusual punishment, Mama!" Bozer gasped with wide eyes.

"But it worked, not that I would keep it from him really, I like the kid too much for that and he needs the feeding anyway. But I think even without that he would have gone back to sleep after breakfast..."

 

"Yeah being properly sick will do that even to the most stubborn people..." Riley added, smirking at Jack.

 

The older man elected to ignore that comment, he knew that he himself, despite all his nagging at his friends, certainly gave Mac a run for his money when it came to refusing to stay in bed when sick or injured.

 

"Anyway, seeing you're here, I gather you managed taking out those terrorists once and for all?" Billy asked, steering the conversation to a more interesting topic for now.

 

"Oh you bet, those guys will think twice before starting anything illegal, even as small as speeding, when they return to the civil world at some point or another. Not that that will happen anytime soon. Matty took care of that and our Riley properly killed their reputation online as well. No other organisation will touch them or work for them with a ten foot pole from now on, so Mac should be safe from that for now. Or well... as safe as Mac ever will be with all the enemies he already made before..." Jack grinned, a proud hand on Riley's shoulder.

 

"I don't doubt it if Director Webber personally was involved..." Mama grinned. "She's a fierce one!"

 

"True and still kind of an understatement..." mumbled Bozer who, liked Matty, respected her a lot but also was scared shitless of her.

 

"You're here... and I was already thinking I imagined hearing your voices again..." Mac said from the doorway, leaning against the wood, still pale and sleepy and with a severe case of bed hair but smiling brightly and more healthy than in the morning already.

 

"Mac!"  all three Phoenix agents called in unison, mirroring his bright smile at seeing their friend again awake and on his feet.

 

Bozer was the first one on his feet, engulfing his best friend in a big hug.

"I'm so glad you're with us again, you really scared me this time, bro!" he whispered, softly.

 

"I know, sorry, Boze, I try not to make a habit of it!" the blond whispered back, softly patting Bozer's back.

 

Riley was the next in line to hug her friend.

"Good to have you back again, Mac. Try not to do that again, Jack's decidedly less fun to work with when you're not around." she confessed and Mac huffed softly, glancing at the older over her shoulder.

 

"Yeah I know, for what it's worth though, it's not much better when you aren't around and he's worried. He has a habit of reverting to his Delta personality then which is neither fun nor good news for whoever crosses him." Mac whispered back, feeling Riley's nod.

 

"Yeah, I gathered as much, I haven't really seen it before but he can be fucking scary." the hacker grinned.

"Definitely, Riles, definitely. Good thing we're on his good side, huh?" Mac grinned back, letting the girl go then, seeing the minor trace of impatience in Jack's body language.

 

Readily he let himself be smothered in a big bear hug, smiling to himself as he felt his equilibrium easily righting itself again. Now that Jack and his family was by his side again, this bone deep sense of safety returned.

"You alright, kid?" Jack asked softly, pulling his head back a little to look Mac in the eyes.

 

"I am now, Jack. And everything else will be back to normal again soon too. A little rest goes a long way, you know that. Was it bad?" he asked and only a small waver in his voice betrayed the insecurity behind the question. Despite himself, he didn't entirely trust that Mama would tell him how bad it really had been and his own memory was rather spotty.

"Not going to lie, you were pretty out of it and you probably should apologize to Jesse before we leave since you apparently attacked her? At least that's what Mama said, I hardly think you did much damage but well... you know. Seriously though, I hated leaving you here, not being there for you, I know how much you need security when you're like this. Sorry about that, bud, it couldn't be helped."

 

"Damn, that's certainly something Mama didn't tell me about... alright, I'll do that later. And don't worry, Jack, I know you didn't have a choice and I think bringing me here was the best idea you could have had given the circumstances, so it's all good. Now I'm just looking forward to going home again with all of you." Mac smiled and let go of his partner, who kept a steady hand on his back anyway.

 

"Now, I don't remember everything but something tells me I was promised an extra large piece of pie with my name on it at some point? Or did I dream that?" Mac grinned at Mama with those words. "I was a good patient after all, wasn't I?"

The three present Colton's laughed and Mama got to her feet.

"You indeed didn't dream that one, MacGyver, I did promise you that and I agree, you earned it!"

 

Mac was steered to the table and shortly after a plate was placed in front of him.

"One extra big piece of pie for a speedy recovery for you!" Mama said and Mac thanked her with a grateful smile, immediately tucking in.

 

"Now he really is an honorary Colton, eh Mama?" Jesse giggled, watching the blond man eat with glee, who promptly started coughing.

 

"Right you are, Jesse, right you are!" she replied and they all laughed at Mac's stunned expression and the slight flush on his cheeks that for once hadn't anything to do with a fever.


End file.
